Favorite Movie: American Psycho: The Musical (2016)
Favorite Episode: The Jughead Paradox (6x05)
Most Relevant: American Psychos/American Psycho: The Musical (6x17 + 2016)
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Every choice is innovative, but original storylines means there's less of a need for movie references. Referencedale is dying a slow and painful death, but that means less work for me with only four companion films for this season. Here, here!
6x04: The Witching Hour(s)
On the surface, it's bland. Three women across three time periods are inextricably linked to each other. Dig deeper, however, and you find evidence for the groundbreaking discovery that is Riverdale Gay Gene. Fitting for the episode that started off my Pride Month.
It's also interesting to note the way the two play with societal expectations: the movie revolves around the idea that women need children to have meaningful lives, and why that's wrong, but the episode stares the idea in the face and tells the audience that a nuclear family is the only thing that can destroy Bitsy (Betty). Not that knowing that changes anything.
The Hours (2002) - ★½
The Witching Hour(s) (6x04) - ★★★★½
6x12: In the Fog
When it comes to specific plot points, no, it doesn't really relate. All of Archie's war trauma was unpacked and repacked into the hidden depths of his mind in season 5, and there isn't much betrayal (or venturing out into the fog). It's about the bigger picture.
Every character is dragging behind the dying (soon to be lifeless) body of their friend and betrayer, trying to find help before it's too late. But they're lost. Time is running out, and when you think about it, does it matter? Why would you want to save someone who wants you dead? (Because you love them.) (Because you'd die (kill yourself) without them.)
In the Fog (2012) - ★★★
In the Fog (6x12) - ★★★★
6x17: American Psychos
If Veronica never moved out of NYC, I have no doubt in my mind that she would become Patrick Bateman. She longs to fit in, always feeling a little out of touch with her peers, and killing people is her way to cope. Also doing lines of coke in gaudy restaurant bathrooms. In this new reality she wouldn't meet Chad, Reggie, or Archie, and there would be no real incentive to have a perfect white-picket-fence family. Her absence in Riverdale would throw the rest of the core four into shambles. Who knows, maybe Betty gets groomed and thinks killing Hal is her only way to escape. She runs away to the first place she can think of, and gets taken under the wing of a party girl spiraling out of control. They'd still be in their blood stained underwear for the second act, but at least they'd have company.
American Psycho: The Musical (2016) - ★★★★
American Psychos (6x17) - ★★★★½
6x22: Night of the Comet
Why is this movie in s6 when it could have happened verbatim in s2 or 3, mall montage and all? I mean, we already have "breaking teens out of a secret organ harvesting facility." It's about the contrast. The pairing shows how much Riverdale has evolved tonally, from a run of the mill teen sitcom, to a wack and zany what-happens-next, to something between the two where you never know where the story will go, but the relationships are more fleshed out and impactful than ever.
All of that is why I feel betrayed by s7. The work that went into weaving complex stories was undone, and everything else pales in comparison. You can't jam 6 years of organic story into 20 episodes. The writers turned their backs on fun zombie adventures and chose the new and improved nuclear family. Forever.
Night of the Comet (1984) - ★★★★
Night of the Comet (6x22) - ★★★★
I'll see you here next month for the long awaited finale.
- urdeadbestfriend
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